This invention relates to a fastener of the type that can be used to hang a light picture, plaque or other similar object from a wall and more particularly to the type of fastener having a body formed by a flat strip of material, such as metal, from both sides of which there projects a sharpened pin, or nail. One of the sharpened objects is pushed into the frame of the object to be hung and thereafter, by pushing the frame containing the inserted pin into the wall, the object is to be supported with the flat body interposed between the wall and frame. Fasteners of this general type are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 417,805; 1,177,106 and 1,023,502.
In another variation the oppositely projecting sharpened elements may be supported by a relatively thick body which holds the frame outwardly from the wall. Other variants include the use of a pin having a threaded shank to assist in holding it in place, or forming the element in the form of a triangular flat prong designed to be inserted into either the frame, or the wall, or both, in a horizontal plane to increase the weight carrying capacity. In other instances, when the sharpened pins are used, the body may be designed to hold them at an angle to the horizontal to increase the weight-carrying capacity. Typical examples are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 1,675,282; 1,413,833; 1,314,548; 1,297,584 and 1,901,644.
In another example, the flat body is attached to the frame by means of an adhesive and a flat prong, or sharpened pin projects from only one side to be pushed into the wall, as in U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,061,372 and 920,236.
A disadvantage of all of the fasteners disclosed in the patents mentioned above is that, while metal pins, or flat prongs, when embedded in the wood frame of a picture, or other object be hung, will remain in place and resist removal, they are relatively ineffectual when inserted in a horizontal direction into a wall made of plaster or the more common gypsum board. Because of wallboard and plaster's granular interior composition most of the hangers used in wall board, or plaster are driven in at an angle to counteract forces which might tend to cause their removal. Unfortunately, this means that the hanger must be put in place first and it is difficult to insert the pin, or prong, at the proper location prior to hanging the picture, to say nothing of the fact that it is difficult to drive a nail, or pin into a wall at the exact location desired when it is being driven in at an oblique angle to the wall surface.
An attempt to overcome this difficulty is made in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,300,173 and 2,723,815 which each discloses a sort of "nail jig" comprising a body which is first attached to the wall by means of a pressure sensitive adhesive. This body is provided with a central opening arranged at the proper angle to the wall and through which the nail, or pin, is then driven into the wall. However, the fastener in both of the last-mentioned patents are merely hooks to support a picture wire, or the like.